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The service has launched as schools are tackling the growing issue of mental health problems in young people, in the face of ever-decreasing budgets.

Last week, the first official estimate of the nation’s vulnerable minors was revealed by the Children’s Commissioner for England, which showed that around 800,000 children in the UK are living with mental health problems.

Jonathan Martin, CEO of YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, said: “We have delivered mental health services locally for 25 years and we now want to use that experience to empower schools to promote positive mental health, and provide them with tried and tested programmes they can use to support those that need extra help.

“While we will continue to deliver clinical services directly, schools that utilise our new service will, through training, have long-term, sustainable support for health and well-being provision in their school, with easy access to our knowledge and resources.

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“Importantly for schools in this climate, they will also save a huge amount on the cost of the usual direct delivery of these services – potentially up to 75 per cent, which represents a cost effective solution to reducing budgets.

"We will even support them to fundraise and increase awareness through our new Purple Day package.”

Schools interested in the new service, or any of the charity's existing programmes, can contact Ryan Armes at YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough on ryan.armes@theymca.org.uk or 01733 373187.

The charity currently supports schools across Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Suffolk by offering direct therapy or counselling, as well as group work, family work and mentoring.

Find out more about YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough on its website.